Cable slack manager system and method

ABSTRACT

A cable slack management system is used in conjunction with a conventional component rack to secure cables of excess length to minimize disturbance, interference, and general clutter that the excess cable length would otherwise cause. In one implementation, the cable slack management system includes a slack management panel that is attached to two opposing vertical members of a rack to extend horizontally between the members as a cross-member of the rack. If more than one cable slack management system is installed in a rack, typically the slack management panels are placed between component panels in some alternating fashion. In an alternative implementation, the slack management panels are vertically oriented, and are typically mounted adjacent to a rack. The cable slack management system also includes one or more cable spools for each slack management panel. The cable spools allow cable to be wrapped around them thereby securing the cable.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority benefit of provisional application Ser. No. 60/646,320 filed Jan. 21, 2005.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to the field of equipment racks, and more particularly to the field of cable management associated with such racks.

2. Description of the Related Art

Racks, frames, cabinets and the like (referred to generally herein as “racks”) support computer and other electronic equipment and doors and panels (referred to generally herein as “components”). The racks and the components are mutually sized to accommodate placement of the components within the racks. Racks can include vertical members generally spaced a selected standardized distance from one another and cross-members extending between the vertical members. Both the vertical members and the cross-members can have attachment points where the components are secured. These attachment points can include holes to receive bolts, which may be used along with nuts for securing the components.

The racks are typically positioned so that a side of the rack (referred to generally herein as the “backside”) is either against a wall of a room or against the backside of another rack. The side of a subject rack opposite its backside (referred to generally herein as the “front side”) can provide access to the components supported by the rack since the front side of the rack generally faces outward into a room away from a wall or away from another rack that is adjacent to the subject rack. The components can include patch panels and equipment face panels extending between the vertical members along the front side of the rack. These panels can have slots and other openings for mounting of patch blocks of connectors or other devices or to allow access of control portions of the components from the front side of the racks. The panels are generally securely fastened to the vertical members of the racks.

The components within the racks are typically connected to other components either in the same rack or another rack or are connected to other devices not in a rack for such purposes as control, communication, and power. These connections are made by cables, cords, or other sorts of wires (referred to generally wherein as “cables”), which are generally available in standard lengths. For some applications, many standard lengths of cable may be available, however, a few selected lengths may actually be used in the field so that, for instance, the cables can be purchased in mass quantities. For other applications, selection of cable length may be limited. Consequently, cables may be used at times which are longer than needed and the excess cable length can clutter and interfere with operation and maintenance of the components, racks, and other devices in the vicinity of the racks.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

FIG. 1 is an isometric diagram illustrating an implementation of a cable slack manager system attached to a conventional component rack.

FIG. 2 is an isometric diagram illustrating the cable slack manager system of FIG. 1 with one of the cable spools of the cable slack manager system removed.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, rear fragmentary isometric diagram of a portion of the cable slack manager system of FIG. 1 showing detail regarding mounting of one of the cable spools.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, rear fragmentary isometric diagram of the portion of the cable slack manager system of FIG. 3 showing the mounted cable spool.

FIG. 5 is an isometric diagram of an alternative implementation of the cable slack manager system.

FIG. 6 is an isometric diagram of the alternative implementation of the cable slack manager system of FIG. 5 showing an opposing side.

FIG. 7 is an isometric diagram of the alternative implementation of the cable slack manager system of FIG. 5 connected to a conventional rack. FIG. 8 is an enlarged, rear fragmentary isometric diagram of a portion of the cable slack manager system of FIG. 5 further showing detail regarding mounting of one of the cable spools.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A cable slack management system according to the present invention is used in conjunction with a conventional component rack to secure cables of excess length to minimize disturbance, interference, and general clutter that the excess length would otherwise cause.

In one implementation, the cable slack management system includes a slack management panel that is attached to two opposing vertical members to extend horizontally between the members. Either the two opposing vertical members are on the front side of the rack or the two opposing members are on the backside of the rack, although typically the two members are on the front side of the rack. The slack management panel is typically located in the rack so that the slack management panel is between two component panels. If more than one cable slack management system is installed in a rack, typically the slack management panels are placed between component panels in an alternating fashion. In an alternative implementation, the slack management panels are vertically oriented, and are typically mounted to a rack while standing beside the rack.

The cable slack management system also includes one or more cable spools for each slack management panel. The cable spools allow cable to be wrapped around them thereby securing the cable. The cable spools are typically cylindrical but can have another shape with another cross-section such as an ellipsoid or rectangular cross-section.

Each of the cable spools generally has a longitudinal axis. The cable spool is attached to the slack management panel so that the longitudinal axis extends substantially away from the rack and the slack management panel. The cable spools can be fixedly attached to the panels such as by welding or removably attached to the panels as further described below. Typically, the slack management panel would have coupling locations for several cable spools so that one or more cable spools can be attached to the slack management panel. In the field, a particular slack management panel may have only one cable spool attached or may have any other number up to its full capacity of cable spools attached, depending upon such factors as the amount of excess cable that must be managed.

A conventional rack 10 having opposing vertical members 12 and horizontal members 14 extending therebetween is shown in FIG. 1. The vertical members 12 have threaded holes 16 to receive bolts (not shown) to attach panels and components to the rack 10. A conventional component 18 is shown having a front panel 20 with holes 21 for bolting of the component panel to the vertical members 12 via the holes 16 of the vertical members. The conventional component 18 has sockets 22 to which conventional cables 24 having plugs 26 are connected.

An implementation of a cable slack management system 100 according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 1 as having a slack management panel 102. The slack management panel 102 has holes 103 for bolting of the slack management panel to the rack 10 through the holes 16 of the vertical members 12 so that the slack management panel extends horizontally between the vertical members of the rack. As shown, the slack management panel 102 is attached to the front side of the rack 10 adjacent to the component panel 20.

The cable slack management system 100 further includes one or more cable spools 104 (four cable spools are shown) attached to the slack management panel 102. The capacity of the slack management panel 102 to support a particular number of the cable spools 104 is dependent upon the size of the cable spools, the size of the slack management panel, and the desired spacing between the cable spools. Spacing between the cable spools 104 is partially dependent upon the desired length of cable that each of the cable spools can manage.

The depicted cable spools 104 are cylindrical, each having a rim portion 106 at the end of the cable spool spaced away from the slack management panel end. The rim portion 106 assists in preventing the cables 24 from sliding off of the cable spools 104. The cable spools 104 are attached to the slack management panel 102 so that the cable spools extend away from the slack management panel to provide ready access to the cable spools for wrapping the cables 24 around one or more of the cable spools.

One of the cable spools 104 is shown in FIG. 2 as being removed from the slack management panel 102 to reveal a coupling location 108 on the slack management panel. There is one coupling location 108 on the slack management panel 102 for each one of the cable spools 104 that can be potentially attached to the slack management panel. In other words, the capacity of the slack management panel 102 in terms of the number of cable spools 104 that can be attached to the slack management panel is the number of the coupling locations 108 on the slack management panel. For instance, in the depicted implementation, the slack management panel 102 has four coupling locations 108 and thus has a capacity to potentially have four of the cable spools 104 attached to the slack management panel. Each of the coupling locations 108 have a plurality of slots 109 (three shown in FIG. 2) to assist in coupling the cable spool 104 to the slack management panel 102. Each slot 109 includes a receiving portion 110 and a coupling portion 112. Associated with each slot 109 is also a hole 114 whose function is described below.

The cable spool 104 is shown in FIG. 3 has having a coupling end 115 that is placed adjacent the slack management panel 102 when the cable spool is coupled to the slack management panel. The coupling end 115 has a plurality of projections 116 positioned and in a number to match the position and number of slots 109 of one of the coupling locations 108 of the slack management panel 102. Each of the projections 116 has a retainment portion 118 and a key portion 120.

To attach the cable spool 104 to the slack management panel 102, the cable spool is aligned with the slack management panel so that the retainment portions 118 of the projections 116 are aligned with the receiving portions 110 of the slots 109. The cable spool 104 is then pushed against the slack management panel 102 so that the retainment portions 118 of the projections 116 go through their respective receiving portions 110 of the slots 109. The cable spool 104 is then rotated into a coupled position shown in FIG. 4 so that the key portions 120 of the projections 116 slide into their respective coupling portions 112 of the slots 109 and so that the retainment portions 118 of the projections 116 prevent the cable spool 104 from moving away from the slack management panel 102.

For each of the projections 116, the coupling end 115 of the cable spool 104 further includes an engagement member 122. Each engagement member 122 has a raised nub portion 124 and a leaf spring portion 126. As the cable spool 104 is fully rotated so that the key portions 120 of the projections 116 are fully engage in the respective coupling portions 112 of the slots 109, the nub portions 124 are centered over their respective holes 114 in the coupling end 115 so that the nub portions partially enter the holes to releasably secure engagement of the cable spool 104 with the slack management panel 102. The leaf springs 126 provide a force to maintain the engagement of the nub portions 124 with the holes 114. The amount of force supplied by the leaf springs 126 is typically sufficient to prevent the cable spools 104 from inadvertently rotating and uncoupling from the coupling locations 109, however, the force supplied by the leaf springs is not so large as to prevent the cable spools from being manually removed from the slack management panel 102 when desired.

A vertical implementation of the cable slack management system 130 is shown in FIG. 5 as having a vertical channel 132 with a slack management panel 103. The slack management panel 103 of the vertical channel 132 has coupling locations 133 configured and positioned so that cable spools 134 with projections 146 of the coupling and 115 thereof (shown in FIG. 8) can be attached on either side of the vertical channel slack management panel as depicted in FIGS. 5 and 6. The slack management panel 103 of the vertical channel 132 also can include access holes 136 and retaining openings 137 with spears 138 for routing and hanging of the cables 24 as shown in FIG. 7. Typically, the vertical channel 132 is attached to the vertical member 12 of the rack 10 also shown in FIG. 7.

In order for the cable spool 134 to be attached to either side of the coupling location 133 of the slack management panel 103 of the vertical channel 132, the coupling location has slots 140, each with a receiving portion 142 and a coupling portion 144 as shown in FIG. 8. The coupling portion 144 is positioned and shaped somewhat symmetrically relative to the receiving portion 142 as compared with the slot 108 having the coupling portion 112 which are substantially asymmetrically positioned relative to the receiving portion 110. The coupling end 115 of the cable spool 134 has projections 146, each with a retainment portion 148 and a key portion 150 shaped according to the slot 140 to perform engagement with the slack management panel 103 of the vertical channel 132 similar to that described for engagement of the cable spool 104 with the horizontal slack management panel 102 except, as mentioned, the cable spool 134 can engage with either side of the coupling location 133 of the vertical channel slack management panel.

It will therefore be readily understood by those persons skilled in the art that the present invention is susceptible of broad utility and application. Many embodiments and adaptations of the present invention other than those herein described, as well as many variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements, will be apparent from or reasonably suggested by the present invention and the foregoing description thereof, without departing from the substance or scope of the present invention. Accordingly, while the present invention has been described herein in detail in relation to its preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that this disclosure is only illustrative and exemplary of the present invention and is made merely for purposes of providing a full and enabling disclosure of the invention. The foregoing disclosure is not intended or to be construed to limit the present invention or otherwise to exclude any such other embodiments, adaptations, variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements, the present invention being limited only by the claims appended hereto and the equivalents thereof. 

1. For a component rack having opposing vertical members, a system comprising: a panel sized to extend between the vertical members, the panel configured for attachment to the vertical members; and a plurality of elongated members configured for coupling to the panel to extend away from the panel when coupled.
 2. For a component rack having opposing vertical members, a system comprising: a panel sized to extend between the vertical members; and a plurality of members each having a cylindrical portion, each of the members removably coupled to the panel with the cylindrical portion extending away from the panel.
 3. For a component rack having opposing vertical members, a system comprising: a panel sized to extend between the vertical members; and a plurality of members each having a cylindrical portion, each of the members fixedly coupled to the panel with the cylindrical portion extending away from the panel.
 4. For a component rack having opposing vertical members, a system comprising: a panel sized to extend between the vertical members, the panel having a plurality of coupling locations, each coupling location having a plurality of slots, each slot having a receiving portion having a first width and a coupling portion having a second width, the first width being greater than the second width; and a plurality of elongated members, each member having an end, the end having a surface and a plurality of projections extending from the surface, each projection having a retainment portion having a first thickness greater than the second width and smaller than the first width, each projection having a key portion having a second thickness smaller than the second width, the key portion being closer to the surface than the retainment portion, for each coupling location, the plurality of slots positioned to receive the projections of one of the elongated members.
 5. For a component rack having opposing vertical members, a system comprising: a panel sized to extend between the vertical members, the panel having a plurality of coupling locations, each coupling location having a plurality of slots, each slot having a receiving portion having a first width and a coupling portion having a second width, the first width being greater than the second width; and a plurality of members, each member having an end, each member having a cylindrical portion extending away from the end, each end having a surface and a plurality of projections extending from the surface, each projection having a retainment portion having a first thickness greater than the second width and smaller than the first width, each projection having a key portion having a second thickness smaller than the second width, the key portion being closer to the surface than the retainment portion, for each coupling location, the plurality of slots positioned to receive the projections of one of the elongated members.
 6. For a component rack having opposing vertical members, a system comprising: a panel sized to extend between the vertical members, the panel having a plurality of coupling locations, each coupling location having a plurality of slots and a plurality of holes, each slot having a portion having a first width; and a plurality of elongated members, each member having an end, the end having a surface, a plurality of nubs extending from the surface and a plurality of projections extending from the surface, each nub sized to at least partially fit into at least one of the holes of the panel, each projection having a portion having a first thickness smaller than the first width, for each coupling location, the plurality of slots and the plurality of nubs positioned to receive the projections and the nubs, respectively, of one of the elongated members.
 7. For a component rack having a vertical member, a system comprising: a free standing channel sized to extend along the vertical member, the channel configured for attachment to the vertical member; and a plurality of elongated members configured for coupling to the channel to extend away from the channel when coupled.
 8. For a component rack having a vertical member, a system comprising: a free standing channel sized to extend along the vertical member; and a plurality of members each having a cylindrical portion, each of the members removably coupled to the channel with the cylindrical portion extending away from the channel.
 9. For a component rack having a vertical member, a system comprising: a free standing channel sized to extend along the vertical member; and a plurality of members each having a cylindrical portion, each of the members fixedly coupled to the channel with the cylindrical portion extending away from the channel.
 10. For a component rack having a vertical member, a system comprising: a free standing channel sized to extend along the vertical member, the channel having a portion, the portion having a first side and a second side; and a plurality of members each having a cylindrical portion, at least one of the members coupled to the first side of the portion of the channel, at least one of the members coupled to the second side of the portion of the channel, the cylindrical portion of each of the coupled members extending away from the portion of the channel. 